RETRO WEEK: KUSF in Exile

It was a great debacle when local community radio station, KUSF-90.3FM, was sold away to CPRN (Classic Public Radio Network) in 2011. This abruptly ended the student and community endeavor of three decades to provide radio to San Franciscans that represented them culturally. Self described as “your cultural oasis”, the radio station sparked a huge outcry when it was sold and taken off the air without a public process. The CPRN is owned by the University of Southern California.

From the Save KUSF website:

“For 34 years, KUSF San Francisco defined free-form local radio that reflected the city’s unique heart and soul. Famous for featuring diverse cultural programs as well as new underground music, KUSF was one of the first radio stations in the U.S. to play punk rock, and also served a dozen different language groups. An irreplaceable source for community news, information, music and culture, KUSF reflected San Francisco’s diversity, earning the moniker “Your Cultural Oasis.””

Next Tuesday, Ellyn Shea, host of Green and Growing premiers her show on KUSF-in exile. This means you can find the program online or on itunes but not on your radio. She will be launching her program with our very own Greg Gaar in discussion over native plants, recycling and doing what’s right in our world. The program will air on July 31st from 6:30-7:00pm at www.kusf.org

To learn more about the fight to Save KUSF check out: www.savekusf.org. Though it took 16 months for the FCC to approve the sale, it has gone through. The group created to fight the sale were left out of all negotiations. An appeal was filed and rejected.

Be sure to check out Greg next Tuesday, July 31st from 6:30-7pm on kusf.org-community radio in exile.